Unemployment remains low in Grey-Bruce

The economic region that includes Grey and Bruce counties is holding onto its position as the area with the lowest unemployment rate in Ontario. While the provincial unemployment rate rose from 5.8 to 5.9 per cent in July, the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region remained steady at just 3 per cent. Gemma Mendez-Smith, general manager of the Four County Market Planning Board, said the low unemployments can be attributed to the continuing economic boom in the area. “We have a lot of economic activity and there is a lot of demand for workers,” Mendez-Smith said. “When you have a 3 per cent unemployment rate it mean everyone who has the skills that employers are looking for right now are working.” Mendez-Smith said economic activity in the region that includes Grey, Bruce, Huron and Perth counties is so strong right now, that even if the three per cent who are unemployed were to get jobs, it wouldn’t fill all the positions that employers have available. “We have got jobs that are being advertised that are going unfilled, so that would be the only downside of having a low unemployment rate when you have got that economic vibrancy happening,” said Mendez-Smith. “We have got lots of people onboard working at getting people skills and getting people the skills they need to be employable.” Mendez-Smith said the available jobs not only create an opportunity for those looking for work to retrain and upgrade their skills, but also presents an opportunity for some who may have been sitting on the sidelines and are now looking to get back into the workforce. “We have some people at home who may be wondering, what can I do, what skills do I have,” said Mendez-Smith. “You should talk to the employment service provider and they may be able to help you get the skills that an employer will be looking for, therefore giving you some leverage in the labour market.” But even with the low unemployment rate, Mendez-Smith said employers are still being “a little bit picky.” “They want to make sure when someone comes to work for them they are going to stay a while,” said Mendez-Smith. The need for skilled workers in the region also presents an opportunity to attract people to the area for work. “Particularly in Grey County, there is that New to Grey initiative, inviting people to become members and residents of our community, thereby filling those gaps that may happen with employers,” said Mendez-Smith. Canada-wide last month saw an increase of 54,100 net new jobs in July, though the country gained 82,000 less desireable part-time jobs, while losing 28,000 full-time jobs. It was the opposite in the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula region, where employment increased by 2,800 jobs, led by the addition of 5,400 full-time jobs, which more than offset a decline of 2,600 part-time positions. “Workers will appreciate very much that increase in full-time work, and we like to see that, because then we know people aren’t as precariously employed as if they are in part-time,” said Mendez-Smith. “At the same time, we do know that there are some people choosing to work part-time, so we won’t see it disappearing completely.” The strong local economy was also reflected in the types of jobs where gains were realized in July. The number of goods-producing sector employees increased by 3,000, led by a gain of 3,800 in construction and 200 in agriculture. Employment fell by 700 jobs in utilities and 600 in manufacturing. “In some parts of our region there is a two-year wait for a new build because the construction sector is so busy,” said Mendez-Smith. “It is not just new builds for residential, but there is a lot going on for commercial and industrial properties.” The Bruce Power life extension project to refurbish six of the eight reactors at the nuclear site near Tiverton is also fuelling construction job increases, Mendez-Smith said. “You will see a lot of churn and movement in that sector because there is just so much going on,” she said. “We have all these announcements and every announcement, every build and every expansion usually comes along with, we need X number of new workers.” Health care and social assistance led the way in the services-producing sector with a gain of 1,300 jobs in July, followed by information, culture are recreation (+900), professional, scientific and technical services (+800) and wholesale and retail trade (+800). Educational services saw a decline of 1,300 positions, followed by transportation and warehousing (-800) and finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (-700). Mendez-Smith said the region has traditionally had low unemployment, but the economic growth in the region has helped push it down further and there are no signs of it letting up anytime soon. “It would be nice if all the jobs were filled and we were at a three per cent unemployment rate, but we are not there just yet,” she said.